Book IV

Telemachus’ entertainment at Sparta, where Menelaus tells him what befell many of the Greeks on their return; that Odysseus was with Calypso in the isle Ogygia, as he was told by Proteus.

And they came to Lacedaemon lying low among the caverned hills, and drave to the dwelling of renowned Menelaus.  Him they found giving a feast in his house to many friends of his kin, a feast for the wedding of his noble son and daughter.  His daughter he was sending to the son of Achilles, cleaver of the ranks of men, for in Troy he first had promised and covenanted to give her, and now the gods were bringing about their marriage.  So now he was speeding her on her way with chariot and horses, to the famous city of the Myrmidons, among whom her lord bare rule.  And for his son he was bringing to his home the daughter of Alector out of Sparta, for his well-beloved son, strong Megapenthes, {*} born of a slave woman, for the gods no more showed promise of seed to Helen, from the day that she bare a lovely child, Hermione, as fair as golden Aphrodite.  So they were feasting through the great vaulted hall, the neighbours and the kinsmen of renowned Menelaus, making merry; and among them a divine minstrel was singing to the lyre, and as he began the song two tumblers in the company whirled through the midst of them.

{* A son of sorrow:  Tristram.}

Meanwhile those twain, the hero Telemachus and the splendid son of Nestor, made halt at the entry of the gate, they and their horses.  And the lord Eteoneus came forth and saw them, the ready squire of renowned Menelaus; and he went through the palace to bear the tidings to the shepherd of the people, and standing near spake to him winged words: 

’Menelaus, fosterling of Zeus, here are two strangers, whosoever they be, two men like to the lineage of great Zeus.  Say, shall we loose their swift horses from under the yoke, or send them onward to some other host who shall receive them kindly?’

Then in sore displeasure spake to him Menelaus of the fair hair:  ’Eteoneus son of Boethous, truly thou wert not a fool aforetime, but now for this once, like a child thou talkest folly.  Surely ourselves ate much hospitable cheer of other men, ere we twain came hither, even if in time to come Zeus haply give us rest from affliction.  Nay go, unyoke the horses of the strangers, and as for the men, lead them forward to the house to feast with us.’

So spake he, and Eteoneus hasted from the hall, and called the other ready squires to follow with him.  So they loosed the sweating horses from beneath the yoke, and fastened them at the stalls of the horses, and threw beside them spelt, and therewith mixed white barley, and tilted the chariot against the shining faces of the gateway, and led the men into the hall divine.  And they beheld and marvelled as they gazed throughout the palace of the king, the fosterling